Vsim raises $21.5M to Revolutionise Robotics Simulation

Vsim, the robotics simulation startup co-founded by Michelle Lu and Kier Storey, has successfully raised $21.5 million in seed funding. Led by EQT Ventures, the funding will help Vsim accelerate its mission to revolutionize robotics training by up to 100 times faster than current solutions. The company’s platform is designed to help robotics companies train and calibrate their technologies much more efficiently.

At the heart of Vsim's offering is a groundbreaking operating system for robotic simulation and training. The Manchester-based company has developed advanced algorithms that enable rapid, high-quality physics simulations across industries such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and visual effects. By offering these solutions, Vsim aims to significantly reduce the time and costs associated with training on GPUs, making it an appealing option for companies in need of scalable and flexible simulation tools.

The timing of Vsim's innovation couldn't be better. The robotics sector is expected to experience tremendous growth in the coming decade, particularly with the rise of general-purpose robots like 1x, Skild, and Figure. Factors such as decreasing costs and a growing influx of technical talent are creating strong tailwinds for companies like Vsim to thrive in this space.

One of the key challenges facing the robotics industry is the lack of scalable software tools designed for efficient simulation-to-reality training. Existing tools often struggle with performance issues, particularly when simulations involve more than 10,000 entities. Accuracy is also a concern, as many real-time simulations trade precision for speed, limiting the ability to perform more complex tasks. Scalability across multiple cores and cloud simulations is another hurdle for current solutions, along with the difficulty of customizing them without extensive technical knowledge.

Vsim addresses these challenges by leveraging new algorithms that take full advantage of multi-core hardware architectures. This allows the platform to accelerate physics simulations not only for robotics but also for other industries such as aerodynamics, healthcare, and e-commerce. The company’s technology solves two main problems: the speed at which companies can complete simulations and the flexibility required to scale and customize frameworks for diverse use cases.

With the $21.5 million in seed funding, Vsim plans to grow its team and continue developing its full-stack solution for robotics. Investors such as Factorial Fund, Samsung Next, and IQ Capital have joined EQT Ventures in supporting Vsim’s efforts. This follows an earlier pre-seed funding round led by Concept Ventures in late 2023.

Michelle and Kier, who co-founded Vsim in 2022, bring over 20 years of combined experience in physics simulation. Both spent more than a decade working at NVIDIA, where they honed their skills in developing open-source physics engines. Their unique background and shared passion for simulation technology have driven them to create a product that could redefine the robotics industry.

The duo met during their PhD studies at Newcastle University, where they discovered a mutual interest in simulation technology. Their work at NVIDIA further deepened their understanding of the potential for next-generation simulation frameworks. Over the past seven months, they have worked diligently to build Vsim’s core architecture, receiving ongoing support from Concept Ventures.

This seed funding round will enable Vsim to continue its journey toward building a category-defining product in the robotics space. The company’s ability to significantly speed up training processes without sacrificing quality makes it an attractive solution for a wide range of industries. By addressing the scalability and customization challenges that have long plagued existing tools, Vsim is poised to make a major impact in the world of robotics simulation.

As Vsim continues to grow and innovate, the future looks promising for the startup. With strong backing from investors and a team of experienced founders, the company is well-positioned to lead the way in transforming robotics training. The $21.5 million raised will undoubtedly propel Vsim forward as it continues to develop its cutting-edge technology and expand its influence across multiple industries.